It started with a letter to his daughter
Jake Harriman wrote those words after coming home from war and poverty overseas and finding a different kind of conflict waiting — a nation turning on itself. He had seen what happens when societies fracture. He had also seen what ordinary people can do when they decide to serve something bigger than themselves. This book is his answer to the question every one of us is asking: What can I actually do?
A Lifetime of Running Toward Hard Problems
Born in rural West Virginia, Jake Harriman graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy and served as an infantry and Force Recon Marine, deploying four times, including two combat tours in Iraq. What he witnessed in combat — desperation fueling extremism — sent him to Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and then to Africa, where he founded Nuru International. Nuru has lifted over 450,000 people out of extreme poverty across Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Niger.
Back home in 2015, he recognized the same warning signs. The division, the fear, the sense that ordinary people had run out of options. His response was founding The Brickyard — a veteran-led national civic organization, built on the belief that trust is earned through shared action, not shared opinion.
His work has been recognized by U.S. presidents, the Dalai Lama, and Goldman Sachs. This book is his battle plan — and your invitation to join the fight.
Jake and team following a reconnaissance and surveillance mission southeast of Baghdad in 2005.
Field visit with a Nuru farmer in southwest Kenya in 2015.
Jake leading The Brickyard’s Fellowship hike.
Jake receives the Unsung Hero of Compassion award from the Dalai Lama, 2014.
Jake giving the commencement address at the inaugural Presidential Leadership Scholars Graduation.
A fireside chat with General Stan McChrystal and former CIA Director John Brennan.
The 5-Step Code for Rebuilding Unity
Five steps. One mission. A nation that stands for the freedom of lasting, meaningful choices — for everyone, everywhere.
1. Believe: Renew hope for what is possible.
2. Serve: Sacrifice for others.
3. Connect: Build trust across differences.
4. Lead: Step into the arena where you are.
5. Restore: Find your voice and create change.
Leaders Across the Divide Agree
Read all 14 endorsements.
“An urgent, compelling call for every citizen to step up and help bridge the gaps that are pulling us apart. It is a love letter to America and a roadmap for any American who still believes that our best days are ahead of us if we have the courage to reach across the aisle—and the street—to one another.”
“There are many forces trying to divide America. Jake Harriman is a unique counter to those destructive influences. He knows that America is an idea worth fighting for—and saving. This book aims to do just that—bridge our differences and find our common ground.”
“Extremism was tearing America apart. This book is his ‘battle plan’ to save us. Urgent, personal, and impossible to put down.”
“Jake does not just diagnose what is broken in America; he offers a deeply human vision for how we begin to repair it. This is a book about service, citizenship, and the hard but necessary work of finding one another again. Wise, timely, and deeply needed.”
“Jake understands that democracies can and do die if citizens allow it...I can’t imagine a more important book for these difficult times.”
“Jake reminds us we are in danger of forgetting a simple truth—our strength and greatness as a nation springs from our shared identity as Americans, and our willingness to measure up.”
“Rescuing the Idea of America could only be written by someone who has fought for and loved our country not through sentiment or speech, but through dedication, action and years-long sacrifice. This book is both a call to action and a blueprint on how to knit our country back together.”
“Jake Harriman has lived the American story from a farm in Appalachia to the front lines of war and the front lines of civic renewal. In this powerful and deeply personal book, he argues that America’s future will not be secured by louder politics, but by better citizens.”
“It’s raw, honest, and clear-eyed about the mistakes he — and our country — have made, while holding onto a steady optimism that we can learn from them and do better. This is a book for anyone feeling lost or worried about our country’s future and looking for a way to help themselves and others chart a better path forward.”
“A timely and hopeful vision of national renewal rooted in civic virtue rather than political ideology. Drawing on his own story of service, Jake’s call for a “new patriotism” is a needed antidote to today’s division and disillusionment.”
“Jake Harriman understands that America’s future won’t be decided by politics alone, but by people willing to serve, connect, and lead.”
“Jake Harriman has seen the worst of war and poverty yet continues to live a life of hope and patriotic service. I hope all Americans will heed his rejection of divisiveness and pessimism – and answer his call to serve.”
“In a world of despair and division, Jake Harriman brings us unbridled optimism. He has experienced the worst of mankind and yet he sees the goodness in all of us. As Americans we can do better and Jake has a plan to get us there.”
“At a time when our politics too often divide instead of deliver, Jake Harriman reminds us what it means to put country first. Rescuing the Idea of America offers a practical and hopeful path forward, reminding us that the strength of this nation has and always will come from its people, not its political parties.”